Existing Research on PCEs
In the past 10 or so years, research on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) has increased rapidly, as scientists have realized that PCEs are an effective (and cost-effective) way of preventing, mitigating, lessening, or buffering the negative effects of childhood traumas (both Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Sociocultural, Historical, and Intergenerational Traumas (SHIT)).
We have learned primarily from three core areas of existing research on PCEs, often associated with three sets of researchers:
Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) - Christina Bethell and colleagues
Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) - Angela Narayan and colleagues
Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACEs) - Jennifer Hays-Grudo and Amanda Sheffield Morris
Positive Childhood Experiences reduce the negative impact of childhood traumas of all kind.
This is vitally important. Kids’ lives depend on it. Literally.
Positive Childhood Experiences
Christina Bethell and colleagues’ research on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) provided our introduction to PCEs. We heard her speak at a conference. She was incredibly inspiring, a scientist who centers the power of love. We call her, “Love Lady".”
Benevolent Childhood Experiences
Angela Narayan and colleagues have developed a questionnaire related to PCEs, the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale. Bethell’s research used questions from existing secondary data sets; Narayan’s research allows us to ask anyone about PCEs.
Protective and Compensatory Experiences
Finally, Jennifer Hays-Grudo and Amanda Sheffield Morris have written a book on Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACES). The link below summarizes their book.
What do we add?
.With all of this great research on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), what do we add? Why are we researching PCEs?
Well, most of the research above identifies relatively few PCEs. We suspect there are LOTS. So we want to map the entire universe, even multiverse, of PCEs as they are lived out daily.
Further, we have not yet seen a study that asks the real experts on PCEs - children! - to define them. The studies above focus on what child development experts think about PCEs. That’s great. But what do kids think? What do parents, grandparents, aunts / uncles, teachers think?